Dispenser for toothpaste and like materials



Dec. 29, 1953 A, CHOKAE 2,664,225

DISPENSER FOR TOOTHPASTE AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed June 15, 1951 INVENTOR :5 27 4144/55 A 690/015 Patented Dec. 29, 1953 DISPENSER FOR TOOTHPASTE LIKE MATERIALS James A. Chokae, Richmond, Calif.

Application June 15, 1951, Serial No.'2'31.789

(Cl; 222w-100) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for dispensing controlled quantities of materials of a'plastic consistency, from a deformable tube in which the material is contained, and is particularly directed toward a dispenser for conveniently extruding toothpaste for ready application to a tooth brush or the like.

Numerous devices for dispensing toothpaste have heretofore been ofiered to the purchasing public, but in general, such devices have not received any favorable reception. This lack of commercial success has been due to various reasons, which include high costs of manufacture and consequently prohibitory sales prices, unduly complicated mechanisms, inability to accommodate various sizes of containers, diificulty in maintaining the devices in a clean and sanitary condition, and difiiculty in installing or removing a container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser for toothpaste or like materials which is characterized by its simple and economical construction, and in which the dispenser body may be readily molded from a thermoplastic material.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dispenser of the character described in which paste containers possessing a variety of crosssectional sizes and lengths may be used, and in which the open end of the tube or container will at all times be secured against movement relative to the dispenser body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser as hereinabove described in which novel means are incorporated for releas ably engaging the closed end of the pastetube and for collapsing the same so as to forcibly extrude the tube contents through a discharge aperture.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a dispenser of the type reierred to in which the paste tube may be readily inserted for operative use, and in which such tube may be scription of the preferred form 01?; the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is; to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and descripof the tube.

' 2 tionmay be adopted-within the scope of themvention as set'forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a dispenser constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, portions of the view being broken away in order to more clearly disclose internal features of the construction.

Figure 2 is a side view of the structure disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional plan view' taken substantially in the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tube engaging and 'coilingmechanism.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mechanism shown in Figure 4, taken substantially in the plane 4-4 of the latter.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the tube engaging mechanism.

The dispenser of the present inventionis designed to receive a tube ll containing a quantity of paste or like material and forcibly extrude a desired quantity of the paste from the open end As here shown, the dispenser is constructed or three main portions, to-wit, the body portion or tube receiving housing generally indicated by the numeral I2, a cap member [3, and a key member 14, arranged to engage a portion of the tube H, and on which the tube is tightly wound so as to squeeze the paste from the latter.

As is well known, although tubes for paste-like materials are constructed in a variety of sizes, practically invariably the tube will possess an oval or elliptical cross-sectional form for the greater portion of its length, a substantially flat permanently sealed end, and an externally threaded discharge spout l6 through which the tube contents may be extruded in a substantially cylindrical for-m. The tubes are also usually provided with a. closure cap, not shown, which is threadedly engaged with the spout l6 for selective opening or closing of the latter. The tube receiving housing I? is preferably constructed from oneof the thermoplastic materials, and may either be opaque, or optically clear, so as to permit the user to' easily observe the condition of the tube therein. As best seen in Figure 3, the housing I! is provided with a generally elliptical' coterminous side wall portion: I1 'andan internally formed downwardly sloping arcuate bottom portion i8, those portions cooperating to define an open-topped tube receiving chamber- -l9. The tube It is arranged to be placed in the chamber IS in an inverted position, with the spout thereof depending through an aperture 2| positioned centrally in the bottom portion 18 of the housing, and the aperture is of a size surficient to accommodate a wide range of sizes of such spouts.

Means are provided for forcing the tube contents through the tube spout without requiring the user to manually engage the tube and operable from exteriorly of the housing. Such means include the key member [4 which is provided with a pair of axially spaced shafts 22, these shafts being positioned in diametricall opposed slots 23 extending longitudinally along the housing wall IT. A substantially fiat rectangular bar 24 extends axially between the shafts 22 and is separated therefrom by disk-like members 26. The distal ends of the shafts are secured to diametrically enlarged hubs 21, the latter being secured to or formed integral with knurled hand wheels 28 disposed adjacent one or both of the slots 23 for rotating the key mechanism. Preferably, the shafts 22, bar 24, and members 26 are made of metal and turned or otherwise constructed from a single piece of cylindrical material, although if desired, these pieces could be made separately and secured together to comprise an integral unit. Also, for simplicity of construction, the distal ends of the shafts may be provided with diametrically enlarged studs 26 which may be press fitted into receiving apertures formed in the hubs 21. It will be noted that the diameters of the studs 28 and disk members 26 are the same size and correspond to the greatest width of the bar 24 which diametrically intersects the members 26, and in this manner, it will be readily apparent that this unit may be conveniently and economically made from a unit piece of metal.

The opposing faces of each of the members 26 and the hubs 21 are positioned on each side of the housing wall adjacent the respective slots therein, and as the member and hub each possess a diameter greater in size than the slot width, it will be evident that the key is axially fixed in position, but is capable of rotation and vertical displacement along the slot length. Journaled over the member 26 and bar 24 for free rotary movement is a sleeve 29 having an axially disposed peripheral slot 3| therein. The slot 3| preferably extends for substantially the entire length of the sleeve and is of a width slightly greater than the thickness of the bar 26.

To install the tube in the housing chamber and operatively connect the key thereto, the said closed end of the tube is inserted in the slot 3| of the sleeve, and by rotating the shaft and bar 24, the latter will forcibly urge and releasably secure the tube end between the bar and one side of the slot, further rotation serving to wind or coil the tube around the sleeve and force the contents therefrom. In order to provide for such coiling of the tube, it is necessary to hold the lower open end of the same against axial displacement, and numerous types of mechanism could be utilized to provide such holding. Heretofore, certain dispensers have utilized a member threadedly engaged with the tube discharge spout, but in view of the fact that the spouts do not possess identical sizes or threads, these dispensers were seriously restricted as to accommodation of various types of tubes. I therefore prefer to use a universal clamp or holding means which will releasably secure the depending spout [6 against upward vertical displacement in the housing chamber as the key is rotated. Such means may include a screw 32 having an end 33 engageable with the threads on the tube spout. The screw is threadedly engaged for axial movement in a bossed portion 34 of the housing and to facilitate the urging of the screw toward the spout for clamping the latter, a knurled manually operable wheel 36 may be provided at the end of the screw remote from the spout engaging end 33. It will be noted that the housing is provided with a recess to accommodate a portion of the boss 34 so that the screw will be positioned to engage the tube spout at the juncture of the same with the tube body. This arrangement will permit ready locking of the tube in the housing, and at the same time will not cause the locking means to become coated with paste as in the case of numerous prior art devices, and will also permit replacement of the tube cap on the spout if desired.

As will be understood, by clamping the tube against upward displacement, rotation of the key will wind the tube therearound and cause the key to move downwardly in the slots 23. In view of the fact that the width of these slots closely approximates the size of the key shaft 22, and also because of the relatively thin walled housing, some means should be provided to insure a uniform slot width and prevent binding of the key shafts therein, particularly in the event the dispenser is dropped or otherwise mishandled. This important feature of the invention is preferably accomplished in combination with the cap or the closure member I3 which is arranged to fit over the open top of the housing [2 so as to substantially enclose the housing chamber. The cap is provided with a substantially fiat top 31 and a depending skirt portion 38, the latter intimately engaging the outer peripheral surface of the housing wall portion ll. At diametrically opposed portions on the inner surface of skirt 38 is provided a pair of lugs 39 of a width substantially corresponding to the width of the slots 23 and arranged to pass through the latter when the cover is inserted. In this manner, the lugs will effectively prevent inward deformation of the slot and insure freedom of movement of the key shafts along the length of the slots.

In operation, the key [4 may be started on the closed end of the tube, and the tube then inserted in the chamber I9 until the spout l6 passes through the aperture 2| of the housing, it being understood that the shafts of the key pass along the slots 23. The set screw 32 is then tightened against the threads of the tube spout, and rotation of the wheels 28 will tightly wind the tube around the sleeve 29 and cause the tube contents to be extruded through the spout. The key arrangement disclosed herein does not only facilitate the interengagement of the key and tube, but also permits separation of the two, for as will be understood, it is only necessary to engage a small portion of the tube, whereas in the familiar type of keys, it is necessar to pass a large length of the tube through a slot and then carefully start winding the key to prevent premature separation.

For the purpose of securing the dispenser to a wall surface, screws or other holding means could be passed through the portion I l of the dispenser body and engaged with the wall. However, to simplify the installation of the dispenser and to permit its ready removal for insertion or removal of tubes, I prefer to utilize one or more suction cups 4| glued, screwed, or otherwise secured to the housing by means of which the dispenser may be releasably attached to any portion of a vertical wall or other structure.

In the modification shown in Figure 6, the tube engaging mechanism merely comprises a tubular member as having a longitudinal slot therein, the member being preferably integrally molded with a pair of axially aligned shafts 48 which are arranged. to engage the Walls of the container adjacent slots 23. The closed end of the tube is inserted into the slot 57 until the end thereof strikes the inner peripheral surface of the member :35, thereby aligning the tube along the width thereof. When the member is rotated, the tube is initially deformed within the member, preventing withdrawal of the tube therefrom, additional rotation serving to coil the tube around the member. This arrangement is somewhat simpler than the previously described mechanism, and likewise possesses excellent operating characteristics.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising, an elongated housing having a bottom and an open top through which a paste container may be loaded into said housing, said housing having a substantially elliptical cross-sectional form, said bottom including an aperture through which the open spout end of said container may be inserted, said housing further having a pair of slots extending along the length of said housing and being disposed substantially at the vertices of said ellipse, means on said housing engageable with said spout exteriorly of the housing for releasably securing the spout to the latter, means movable in said slots and engageable from exteriorly of the housing for engaging a closed end of said container and winding the iatter therearcund, said means including a substantially flat bar member and a sleeve member rotatable around the bar member, and said sleeve member including n axially extending peripheral slot through which said closed container end may be inserted.

2. A dispenser for extruding paste or like material from a deformable tube having a discharge spout comprising, a housing having side walls and a bottom including a centrally disposed aperture, said walls and bottom defining an open topped housing for receiving said tube with the spout thereof extending through said aperture, said side walls including a pair of diametrically opposed slots, a cover member overlying said open top and having a skirt portion telescopically engageable with peripheral portions of said housing, means on said cover member engageable with portions of said housing adjacent said slots, and a key member including a shaft journaled in said slots and a tubular member having an axially extending peripheral slot journalled on said shaft for clamping the closed end of said tube therebetween.

3. A dispensing device for plastic materials in deformable tubes having a closed end and a discharge spout comprising, a casing having side walls and bottom defining a tube receiving chamber,'said bottom having a centrally disposed aperture through which said discharge spout may pass through the casing, means on said casing for releasably securing said spout thereto, portions of said side walls defining diametrically opposed and longitudinally extending slots, a shaft journaled in said slots, means substantially preventing axial movement of said shaft, said shaft including a substantially fiat portion within said casing, a sleeve member having an axially extending peripheral slot therein telescopically mounted for rotation on said shaft, said flat portion and said sleeve groove cooperating to clamp said closed end of the tube in one position of rotation of the sleeve relative to the flat portion and for releasing said end in another position of rotation.

i. A dispensing device for plastic materials in deformable tubes having a closed end and a discharge spout comprising, a casing having side walls and a bottom defining a tube receiving chamber, said bottom having a centrally disposed aperture through which said discharge spout ma pass through the casing, means on said casing for releasably securing said spout thereto adjacent the juncture of said tube and spout, portions of said side walls. defining diametrically opposed and longitudinally extending slots, a shaft journaled in said slots, means substantially preventing axial movement of said shaft, said shaft carrying a rotatable tubular member having a peripheral slot extending axially of said tubular member, said closed end of the tube being arranged to enter said axial slot for deformation thereof upon rotation of said shaft.

JAMES A. CHOKAE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,471,735 James Oct. 23, 1923 1,620,955 Drohan Mar. 15, 1927 1,839,542 Ferguson Jan. 5, 1932 1,906,837 Brochu May 2, 1933 2,500,274 Brown Mar. 14, 1950 

